Offered by Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Surrey, Canada, Visual Arts: Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree (BFA) is a bachelor's degree in Visual Arts programme. The programme runs for 4 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 756 per credit (CAD 166 per credit for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Bachelor's Degree
Field:Visual Arts
Duration: 4 years
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 166 / credit
International tuition: CAD 756 / credit
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Arts degree program provides students with comprehensive knowledge and practice in the field of visual arts. The core of the degree is a strong studio curriculum focusing on the ideas and technical processes of producing contemporary art. The Fine Arts curriculum is complemented through access to a broad liberal arts education emphasizing the development of effective academic writing, verbal communication, and presentation skills. Grounded in theory and practice, students develop aesthetic judgment, professional knowledge, disciplinary expertise, and the collaborative critical thinking skills required to prepare them for direct entry into today's creative economy.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: The programme's calendar page states no admission requirement of its own: entry is governed by the Faculty of Arts Admission Requirements, which consist solely of KPU's undergraduate English Proficiency Requirement. KPU's undergraduate English Proficiency Requirement is met by BC English Studies 12, English First Peoples 12 or Literary Studies 12 at a minimum grade of C+ (or the Adult Dogwood, IB English A HL/SL grade 3, or AP English Language/Literature grade 2 equivalents); by 3 credits of post-secondary ENGL at C- or better, or two years of post-secondary study (60 credits) with a 2.0 CGPA, at an English-medium institution; or by a test score of IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band under 6.0, TOEFL iBT 88 with no section under 20, PTE 61, Duolingo English Test 110, CAEL 70 with no sub-score under 60, or LanguageCert Academic 70 with no sub-score under 65, each within the last two years. No portfolio, audition or interview is stated for entry. Students must formally declare the BFA, Visual Arts major by the time they complete 60 undergraduate credits, which requires good academic standing and completion of 18 credits at a minimum grade of C, including ENGL 1100 and 15 credits of FINA or ARTH courses that must include ARTH 2222, FINA 1100, FINA 1167 and FINA 1175.
Application Details
Start Date:The University Calendar lists this programme with Fall (September), Spring (January) and Summer (May) starts, the full three-term cycle KPU runs. Under the Senate-approved 2026-27 schedule Fall runs 8 September to 17 December 2026, Spring 6 January to 28 April 2027 and Summer 10 May to 24 August 2027.
Application Deadline:KPU classifies this as an Open Intake programme, which means every applicant who meets the minimum institutional requirements is admitted and applications are not ranked against each other. The University Calendar lists this programme with Fall (September), Spring (January) and Summer (May) starts, so all three of KPU's Open Intake windows apply to it. FALL (SEPTEMBER) INTAKE: applications open on 1 October of the previous year and the final application deadline is 1 July, so the Fall 2027 window runs 1 October 2026 to 1 July 2027. Domestic applicants (Canadian citizens and permanent residents) start receiving offers in November and must accept and pay the confirmation deposit by 15 June. International applicants share the same window, and KPU accepts no application at all after 1 July; their offer and deposit dates are set out in the offer letter. SPRING (JANUARY) INTAKE: applications open 1 February and close 1 November - for Spring 2027 that closing date is 1 November 2026 - with the domestic deposit due 15 October. SUMMER (MAY) INTAKE: applications open 1 June and close 1 March, with the domestic deposit due 15 February. Applications open at 00:00 and close at 23:59 Pacific time. Both applicant types apply through EducationPlannerBC at apply.educationplannerbc.ca/kpu; the non-refundable application fee is CAD 40 for domestic applicants and CAD 120 for international applicants, and the confirmation deposit for an Open Intake offer is CAD 250 domestic or CAD 5,000 international. Popular classes fill early, so accepting after the deposit date can leave you without the sections you wanted.
